I am recently getting lots of questions regarding guitars from several MS members who are aspirants of being a rock star some day. Many of them have purchased guitar recently so I thought I do write about few things on how to go about it. What you require to know before you start.
All I am going to write down is my personal thinking and from my experiences it might differ from what other professionals or expert say.
*Three concepts of Guitar which I found out.
1) Technicality
2) Music theory
3) Developing your Ears*
Technicality - There are many techniques in guitar. From basics of how to hold a guitar to as complicated as pinch harmonics. Guitar techniques are very important, it will help you to play different genres, sound differently. The more techniques you know the more you can experiment and sound different. Also learn to read music using tablature - it will help you understand to read a tab of a song how to apply the same on your guitar.
How to master it: Practice, Practice & Practice.
Where will I find these techniques: You can learned from a free guitar lessons website called https://cyberfret.com
2) Music theory - I use to ignore this which was a biggest mistake. I use to play songs, simple and complicated ones too but I did not know how all the chords are related. Which notes I am playing, how are these notes are related. Music theory is very important, if you are very good guitar player but dont know about music theory it will be a very embarassing situation. You should know what you are playing, why you are playing, how you can advance on it, how to compose your songs, how to make it sound exotic or sad or aggresive or happy etc.
guitar techniques and music theory are inter related. If you know the theory you can use the guitar techniques to execute them and execute them in different manner. Which will leave you sounding different and refreshing.
How to master it: Read concepts of music theory eg: chords constructions - how a chord is formed, scales, family of a chord, circle of fifths etc.Once you read it start applying them on guitar.
Where will I find these theories: All over internet. Music theory is universal it can be applied to guitar or flute or any instrument.
3) Developing yourEars - Never never in your life play your guitar untuned. Beginners face problem to understand if the guitar is tuned or not. Dont worry, just before practicing tune your guitar using chromatic tuner or automatic tuner. Just go inside the music shop ask for a chromatic tuner for guitar, it is expensive around 500 bucks but it is worth it. Once you play for a while like around 6 months or so, your ears will start developing, you will be able to identify when you play the guitar is tuned or untuned without using tuners. Try composing a song, hear a song 100 times try to figure out using your guitar. One by One note.eg: chura liya by RD Burman. Try to figure it out in guitar. It will develop your ears. This is also extremely important as you will be able to figure out a song and also compose your own song.
What do you want to be and in which genre?
Very important, you should know what you want to become. A guitar player can become
*1) Bass Player
2) Rhythm Guitarist
3) Lead Guitarist*
Bass Player plays using bass guitar and it is relatively easy to catch on. Bass player sets up the rhythm for a song. Rhythm Guitarist also provides the rhythm to the band but he plays more of chords and strums the guitar(right hand up and down movement) as compared to bass player who just plays note by note(in most part of the song). Lead guitarist plays a solo or lead over the rhythm. Lead guitaring is difficult process, he should know which scales or modes to play, he should know each and every note in the guitar fretboard. Technically and music theory wise he should be aware of what is going on and what should be done ahead in secs of time frame.
eg: in Rock on movie, Farhan Akthar was a rhythm guitarist and Arjun Rampal was rhythm as well as lead guitarist. Bass player was not present but the bass was provided by keyboards(Like band the Doors where the keyboard player use to play bass) .
You need to know where you want to fit but remember a lead guitarist was always a rhythm guitarist first then he progressed to become a lead.
Genre - Which genre you like the most? Blues, classic rock, popular, metal, hard rock, jazz etc etc.
If you want to move ahead quickly you dont have to learn all the music theory. Because music theory teaches you the different chords, scales and modes used to play in different genre.
eg: if you want to be a blues player. You need not know about jazz chords progression and jazz scales, which are highly complicated. Learn what you want to learn otherwise music theory is very vast - you might spend time for something which you dont want to play. Its good if you know more but just in case if you know what you want and want to get there as soon as possible.
Few personal tips:
When you buy a guitar, your patience is tested for around 2 months(i.e if you are playing everyday atleast half an hour), if you surpass that you can go ahead otherwise lot of people give up. Dont give up because you can do it. It is difficult but it is not impossible. I have known people who did it, they sound good now and you will also.
When you learn songs.learn songs which are simple like hindi songs. IF you know few open chords then you can play them well.
Take your time. Few things in music theory and guitar technique might not make sense until the right time comes, if you dont understand leave it aside and re visit it later. Guitar is very beautiful instrument and very intelligently made, once you get few pieces and then some more pieces you would be able to join them and get a picture about what music is all about and how you can advance on it using this instrument.
Best of luck.